The Shadows of the Past
by Chiorikizunai88
Summary: There is a thunderstorm and little Allen is very scared but that is nothing Cross can't help with. So he takes up a father's role. Parental Cross and Little Allen Um, I think there is fluff...and stuff like that. I tried to make it cute I think it worked too! So give it a try...


_**Hey guys! I've been wanting to write this for a while! So I finally got to it! Hope you like it! It is my first Parental Cross and Allen. They are OOC so I'm sorry but I kind of liked it so I hope you do too :D**_

_**ENJOY!**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own D. Gray Man or any of its characters everything belong to Katsura Hoshino.**_

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_**Boom!**_

The shadowed bundle on the bed shivered with fear of the loud thunder and sharp lightning.

_**Boom! Crack!**_

The storm was so close to his window that it seemed as if it would break through and invade his room. It was scary. No, it was frightening; it was scarier than fighting akuma.

_**Boom!**_

Thunder shook the walls of the room and then lightning flashed so brightly that it lit the room completely, bringing to life all the shadows that laid dormant in the boy's room. That just made it worse.

_**Crack!**_

Another flash, and this time it brought to life a memory. A memory that he wished he got forget, one he never wanted. Even under the blankets, he saw the accursed shadow that haunted his dreams.

"Nooooo!" He sobbed, but somehow his sobs get drowned out by the thunder outside. He shook with sobs and fear in his little nest of blankets. He didn't know how long he'd been like that but it didn't matter, he just wanted someone to be there for him.

The door slammed open almost like the person on the other side had been called by his thoughts, but he didn't know who it was. It could be that shadow getting closer and closer to harm him. The thought made him freeze. No, he didn't want that. He wanted his dad. Heavy footsteps got closer and soon a hand rested on his hunched over back.

_**Boom!**_

He remained as still as the hand on his back. Why didn't that hand move? Why wouldn't it leave?

"No, please no. Mana." He whimpered quietly. The room remained silent except for the occasional crack of thunder that kept making the boy jump.

"Oi baka, it's just me." The small child cautiously poked his head from the safety of his blanket for the first time since the storm started.

"Master…?" thunder boomed violently and the small white head hid back in his blanket. The red-haired man sighed and wondered what he was supposed to do in a situation such as this one. To many people it didn't seem like the great Cross Marian a General exorcist would ever take on an apprentice and care for him much less take on an apprentice and love him like his own. Yet, he couldn't stop this child from growing on him no matter how hard he tried. The time he spent with him only made that bond even stronger.

"Allen, come here, the lightning won't hurt you."

"No." the small child replied shakily.

"Why? I'm right here baka." Cross had never been a man with patients, this situation made him truly dig deep and I mean way deep inside for the minimal patients that he might have been born with.

"H-he'll hurt you too. I-i-if he finds out that you are taking care of me." Allen stuttered hopelessly, he had begun to cry again.

"Who?" Cross asked, actually a bit concerned about the kid and wanting to help. Lightning flashed creating 'that' shadow again.

"The Earl…" They were both silent for a moment and then Cross got an idea, maybe it would make him feel better, but first he needed to know where the problem was.

"Where? Show me or else I can't protect myself from him." Cross said seriously but softly. He looked around a bit while Allen found his voice, finding the problem he waited for his apprentice to point it out himself, he needed to learn. The shadow did indeed resemble the fat marshmallow greatly, but if Allen didn't face it now shadows of the past would always hunt him down for the rest of his life.

Even from under the covers, you could see the boy shake his head before saying, "I'm scared." It seemed it wasn't working, but maybe with a little push the boy would come out from under the blankets.

"I am too, Allen, but I can't see him anywhere. So you'll have to be brave for me." He saw Allen flinch under his blanket. Cross was scared too? He knew what it felt like to be alone and with no one to be there for you. He had to be strong, he had to protect him, because he won't let the Earl take some one important from him again. He threw his blanket, his only protection, aside and jumped in front of his Master. The room was pitch-black until the lightning flashed again, revealing the shadow once more. Cross observed Allen's shivering form and almost smiled at the brave attempt to face his fears. It seemed he had grown on the child as well.

"Go and defeat him. You're letting him control you with fear. I can't beat him only you can." Cross rested his large hand on Allen's small back and gently pushed him towards one of his biggest fears.

The small cursed child timidly walked closer to the shadow. He was almost there, but then he gulped and stopped a foot an a half away.

"I can't, help please." Cross stood quietly from his seat on the bed and came to stand behind Allen.

"Go ahead, touch it, it won't hurt you I promise. I won't let it." Cross finally saw that even though the child had to learn he wasn't completely alone, not anymore. The boy had known nothing but loneliness and independence, now maybe he had to learn to depend on others even if just a bit. Maybe this was a lesson for Cross himself. Everyone needs someone.

Cross kneeled down behind Allen and took his small hands in his bigger ones, stretching his arms towards the shadow that reappeared every so often with the lightning. Allen whimpered as their hands got a bit closer to the shadow, but he didn't feel too afraid because he felt warmth from behind him and it felt reassuring. He wasn't alone.

"I'm here for you, I'm here. I'll always be here." The general exorcist whispered into his apprentice's ear. Allen gulped again and they touched it, their hands finally met the shadow. Allen's eyes were squeezed tight. It felt like some sort of smooth hard surface.

"Huh?" the poor boy was confused. He opened his eyes and looked at the menacing shadow that didn't feel to menacing anymore. The warmth from behind him left and he jumped around trying to find his da- uh Master. The red-haired man lit a candle and kneeled next to Allen again, lighting up the shadow and showing the boy what it really was.

"See, told you it wouldn't hurt you." Cross smirked at the confused expression decorating Allen's face.

"Wha-?" The 'Earl' shadow consisted of a chair that stood in front of lamp that held two coat hangers on the lampshade in the light.

The steady stream of tears stopped when the white-haired boy realized that he had made a mistake, at the same time he had conquered a fear. He turned and wrapped his arms around his Master's neck.

"There's nothing to be afraid of now, it wasn't really him just a shadow." Allen assured. Cross snorted at this, but returned the hug regardless. He was proud of him.

"Hm, I see. So he won't hurt me?" Cross asked jokingly.

"Nope, _I_ won't let him." Allen said firmly as he pulled from the warm embrace to look at his master's face. His face was slightly damp along with his tied back hair and shirt. Could he have been in the rain before he got here?

"What about you? Won't he get you if you're protecting me?" Cross asked Allen with a light smirk gracing his lips.

"No, because _you _won't let him." Allen gave him a confident toothy-grin. Cross returned the grin with a smile, it was so very out of character for the General, but it was nice to smile once in a while and it didn't seem he had many chances to do that lately during this war.

Little Allen rested his head on Cross's shoulder and breathed in his scent. He didn't smell as he normally did but instead he smelled like rain and earth, but his scent also held a bit of spices. He allowed his scent to relax him, something familiar that was all he wanted, something so frequent that it became familiar, something good.

Cross cradled the small body to his chest and rocked him gently. He blew the candle out since it had served its purpose already, and put the candle-holder aside. Little hands grabbed the slightly damps shirt tightly and stayed like that. Allen sighed contently and drifted to sleep, but just before he drifted off completely he mumbled a cute, "Thank you, daddy" and closed his eyes.

The smile wouldn't leave Cross's face. He lifted Allen with him as he stood and carried the child to the bed, tucking him in securely so that chills wouldn't bother his sleep. He brushing some white strands from the child's face as he bent down to kiss his forehead. Caressing his scared cheek carefully with his index finger he whispered 'goodnight' and left the room to change. It wasn't so bad to have an apprentice, but he wouldn't want any other than Allen.

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The storm ragged through the night but the morning brought a beautiful rainbow, and if you looked in that once lonely and scary room you could see an apprentice cuddled closely to his Master's chest, while his Master held him securely in a warm embrace, one arm over the small form.

Shadows left forgotten and fears conquered. No one should ever be alone, but nothing lasts forever be it good or bad.

They wash away a shadow of the past and bring a new memory instead. That's the great thing about a storm. It washes away a yesterday and brings a new tomorrow.

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**_Should I make more chapters/stories?_**

**_So how was it? Review if you'd like, I'd love to see what you thought! Once again sorry for the grammatical errors or OOC-ness._**

**_Cioa!_**

**_-Chiori_**


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